A Pair of Pirates
by AthenaScarlet
Summary: After the Evil Queen kills her parents, Emma has to assume control of the Black Swan if she wants to get revenge and take back her kingdom. But in order to find a way home, she has to work with an unlikely ally: the dashing pirate Killian Jones.


Emma was pouring over maps in her captain's quarters when she heard her first mate yell from the deck.

"Captain! The Jolly Roger approaches!"

She quickly folded up the pieces of parchment in front of her and hid them in a desk drawer. Taking a quick look around, Emma confirmed that her quarters were clean and put together and she smiled, proud of herself. She wouldn't want to make a bad impression if the Jolly Roger's captain happened to insist on visiting her ship instead of the other way around.

Emma checked to make sure she looked presentable in her loose white shirt, long flowing grey skirt and black boots with buckles before grabbing a long blue uniform coat with gold buttons. She knew it was foolish to wear a jacket more suited for a male lieutenant than a female pirate, but there was something special about the way the jacket made her feel in control of a situation, especially considering how out of control her life had been lately.

She made her way up to the deck to check with Ruby, her former lady-in-waiting who had become her first mate when they escaped with the Black Swan.

"Do you have the spyglass?"

"Aye," Ruby replied, handing it to her captain.

Emma did as her father had taught her many years ago, pulling it open and turning it just right to adjust the focus so she could see the ship on the horizon more clearly. Sure enough, the Jolly Roger came into sight, its sails beginning to come down as it got closer to port.

"Do you think Captain Jones will have any answers for us?" Ruby asked.

Emma took a deep breath and retracted the spyglass. "I hope so," she said, handing it back to the first mate of her ship.

Her ship. It was still strange to think of it as belonging to her, especially considering how young she was - hardly old enough for most captains to be in control of their own vessel with their own crew. She was trying to be strong, trying to be confident, and she hoped that her crew at least assumed that about their captain.

But her lack of confidence would come creeping back in at times, and this was one of them. Emma thought she was doing the right thing by trusting Killian Jones, but how can a person really trust a pirate? And more important, would her parents do the same thing if they were still in charge of their kingdom?

Of course, that was a question that could never be answered. Six months earlier, Emma's parents were killed when her kingdom was attacked by the Evil Queen, and she had to flee by commandeering a naval vessel that once fell under her father's orders.

Since that horrible moment, Emma had found an unlikely ally in Captain Killian Jones. Like Emma, Killian had quickly taken charge of his ship and the crew he inherited after his brother's unfortunate death, one Killian had blamed on the corrupt king the Joneses had served.

But she also wasn't truly sure how she felt about him. Sure, he was handsome, smart, and understood her and her current life in a way no one else could, but feelings were an enemy in this circumstance. Emma needed to stay focused on her crew, her ship, and her mission. She would just have to deal with her emotions later.

Emma continued to stare from the deck of her ship as the Jolly Roger made its way to the docks, the faces of the crew coming into view with Killian standing behind the wheel.

"Captain?" Ruby said. "Are you ready for this meeting?"

Emma nodded. "Of course," she replied easily before leaning closer to her first mate. "But just in case, be on the lookout for anything odd so we can move out quickly if we need to."

"Aye, captain."

"Protect this ship at all costs, understand?"

Ruby hesitated before responding. "What about you?"

Emma turned to look at her friend and first mate. "The Black Swan and her crew come first," she said. "Always."

Ruby nodded and gave her captain a sad smile. "Your parents would be proud of you."

"Let's not make any hasty judgments yet," she said with a smirk before giving her first mate a squeeze of her arm.

As Emma made her way down the gangplank, she could see her fellow captain and partner - at least for now - match her every move. Unlike Emma, Killian's wardrobe didn't seem to have much color. While most pirates tended to wear clothes more flamboyant in their appearance than even Emma, Killian tended to stick with black. Today, he was meeting her in a black shirt, velvet waist coat, leather pants and boots. On his side was a sword sheathed in a black leather scabbard. The silver handle of the sword was the only color that was able to escape from him.

But despite the darkness he cloaked himself in, the captain's personality could easily fall into the flashy, swashbuckling pirate stereotype, especially when it came to greeting Emma.

"Captain!" Killian yelled as he disembarked his own ship to meet her on the dock. "It is once again a pleasure to see you."

"Killian," she replied curtly, trying not to give away too much of herself.

"Ah, the enigma that is Captain Swan. I'm humbly at your service," he said with a smile, bowing mockingly before her as if he was a true gentleman and not a pirate. "Now, shall we dispose of the pomp and get down to business?"

"Your ship or mine?" she asked with a tense smile.

Killian walked closer to her, lowering his voice so only she could hear him. "I do believe I have something you'd like to see."

Emma nodded. "Lead the way then, captain," she replied.

"I insist," Killian said, standing aside so she could walk the gangplank up to the deck of the Jolly Roger.

She had to give Killian credit for making sure the crew greeted her with respect when she set foot on the deck. Some bowed their head slightly, others simply said, "Captain," as she walked by. Emma turned to see Killian smiling, proud of the way he was able to hold control of his crew.

"This way," he said, leading her to a hatch on the deck behind the wheel. He lifted the door to reveal a set of steep stairs leading down to his quarters in the hull of the ship.

The captain's quarters were sparse, much like the color of the captain's clothes. Killian had a small bed in the corner, books on a shelf underneath windows lining the back wall, a steamer trunk for his clothes, a desk, and a table in the middle of the room with two dining chairs.

"Please, sit," he said, pulling out one of the chairs for her. "I insist."

Emma gave him a quick glance before taking a seat, trying to be cordial without giving away too much emotion.

"I picked up some fresh fruit from a recent ... confrontation, shall we say," Killian revealed with a smile. "Would you like a fresh apple?"

Emma looked at him skeptically. "I'll be fine, captain."

He walked over and placed the apple on a board in front of her before pulling out a knife from the back of his belt and offering it to her, the handle pointed in her direction. "I promise I have no ulterior motive, lass," he said.

Emma smiled back and put her foot on the table before pulling up her skirt slightly to uncover her buckled boot underneath. She stuck her hand into the top of the boot and pulled out a small knife with a mother-of-pearl handle she had hidden in the inside of the cuff.

"Thank you, captain, but as you can see, I've come prepared," she said politely before lowering her foot and moving her chair closer to the table.

Killian took a seat across from her and watched intently as she quickly sliced off a large piece of the red apple. She handed the first piece to him before helping herself, figuring she should at least acknowledge the kind gesture he had shown her.

Killian stared down at the apple in his hand, fiddling with it in his fingers, and Emma could tell his demeanor had changed from the fun-loving bombastic pirate she had come to know. "So how have you been?" he asked quietly.

"Good," she replied in a hushed tone that matched his.

"I was worried about you."

_Worried? _Emma felt a warmth in her chest at the thought that he had been concerned for her safety, one she quickly repressed again for fear of showing the captain whatever conflicted feeling she may have about him. "I can handle myself," she replied gently instead.

He looked at her with his piercing blue eyes and gave her a small but genuine smile. "I'm sure you can, lass, but your foe is quite powerful."

"I know," Emma replied, earning a slight nod from her companion.

One of the things she had learned over the past six months was how to not show weakness, which she was trying to do now aboard this ship with this captain. But sometimes Emma realized she needed to find a better balance between being strong and being thankful to acts of kindness. While she didn't fully trust her fellow pirate, she also knew that Killian had shown her more kindness than most of the men captaining ships out on the open seas. Those captains would scoff at her or taunt her as she paced their decks making demands.

"So you think you're a pirate who expects us to do your bidding while you stalk the boards of our ship? How quaint."

Then they would laugh or jeer or scoff at this cute little girl threatening them. Of course, all of their ridiculousness did work to her advantage. By the time they realized just how much they had underestimated her, she was already back on her ship with their treasures tucked safely into the hull of the Black Swan.

But she knew Killian was different - at least when it came to her. After losing his brother, Killian knew what it was like for her to face the huge task of taking over the captaincy of a ship. He knew that she wasn't just some little girl playing pirate. She was the real deal - and so was he.

"You haven't faced too much trouble, have you?" she asked earnestly.

"I'm a pirate. I've faced plenty of trouble," he said with a bit too much arrogance. "From what I've heard, Emma, it sounds like you've had some scraps of your own."

"Perhaps," she replied demurely.

"Perhaps?" he said, a smirk teasing his lips. "I heard you cleaned out the Emerald Jewel on a stormy sea at night. True?"

Emma just smiled and cut another piece of the apple for herself.

"I knew it!" Killian said triumphantly. "Quite impressive, m'lady. So am I to assume that you've secured more funding for our excursions?"

"Depends on how pricey our next step will cost," she said. "Did you find any leads?"

"Aye," he said before standing up, a gleam in his eye. "Let me show you what I pillaged for you."

Killian walked over to the steamer truck and pulled out a small wooden box with a lock on the front, placing it down with a bit of fanfare before Emma. She noticed the latch had already been unlocked by the pirate, something that he would've done before she arrived but only if he trusted her. Normally, a pirate would have waited until after talking to his companion - Emma in this case - and make sure she was someone who could be trusted before unlocking it in front of her. She tried not to smile at the small detail, afraid of giving her feelings for Killian away, but it gave her a tremendous boost while she was still somewhat doubting herself and this plan.

She realized Killian was watching her, leaning back against his desk with his arms folded as he tried to make sense of her reaction. "See something you like?" he asked with a sneer teasing the corners of his lips.

"What's in the box?" she asked.

"You're quite direct, aren't you, lass?"

Emma stood up from her chair and crossed her arms in front of her to match Killian's stance. "What's in the box, pirate?"

Killian pushed himself off his desk and leaned forward on the dining table with one hand on each side of the chest. With a final teasing sneer, he opened it slowly and stepped back, leaning on his desk once again to take in Emma's reaction.

"Go ahead," he said, waving his hand in the air as an invitation.

Emma slowly walked over and peered in, only to find it was filled with some random trinkets.

"Is this a joke?" she asked incredulously.

"No joke, lass," he replied. "Please, dig in."

Emma grabbed each piece and laid it on the table in front of the wooden chest: a dark glass vial with the words "Drink me" on the tag, a square wrapped in brown paper with "Eat me" written on it, and a handful of paper hearts. It was all a bit of a letdown, especially when she finally pulled out a stuffed white rabbit.

"You brought me here to show me a secretive box and it's just filled with a child's toy and some food," she said. "What is all this junk?"

Killian's smile began to falter. "I don't bloody know. That's why I brought you here."

Emma stared intensely at him before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Wonderful," she muttered, turning her attention back to the bits and pieces of his supposed treasure laid out in front of her. "So why are you even showing this to me?"

This time, Killian dropped the pirate facade and took a deep breath before responding. "I was told it had some meaning for the Evil Queen," he explained. "I was hoping maybe you would know more about it."

"How long have you had this?"

"Not long," he replied. "I procured it a month ago on my trip to the Seven Islands. It cost us quite a bit to finally free it, lass, so it would be kind of you to show me a little appreciation for what I was able to secure."

"How much do I have to pay you for all of this?" she asked, staring at him as anger began to boil in her veins.

"Enough," he said sternly, matching the now serious tone she had taken on.

"Brilliant," Emma replied sarcastically. "I could've used that extra treasure for a plan, which we don't even have!" she yelled, slamming her fist against the stupid white rabbit sitting on the table.

It crunched.

Emma looked up in shock, her eyes snapping immediately to Killian's face. He was staring back at her with the same awestruck look. They stood there quietly for a few moments before she finally was able to form a coherent thought - apparently at the same time he did. They both reached for the rabbit with Emma grabbing its floppy ears while Killian managed to get its legs. The rabbit hung in midair, its arms dangling below its body as the pirates refused to let go of their share of the stuffed bunny. Killian raised an eyebrow in challenge to Emma, who gave him a smirk in exchange.

"Are you going to trust me?" Emma asked him teasingly.

Killian's smile grew, his fingers tensed - and then he let go of the rabbit's legs. He put his hands up towards Emma in mock surrender. "I put our next adventure in your control, lass."

Emma looked at him skeptically before taking a deep breath. She stared down at the rabbit in her hands, flipping it over to get a good look at it from all sides. There was a loose string at the back of its neck and she decided that was likely the best way to get inside. Teasing the ends with her fingernails, she was finally able to pull the string loose. It unraveled quickly with a slight tug, the rabbit's head falling off easily and rolling across the table.

Killian looked up at her in anticipation. "Well?"

She looked down and saw nothing but stuffing inside. She began to tug at the tuffs sticking out of the rabbit's neck as Killian moved around the table to stand next to her, holding his hand out to take the cotton from her to get it out of their way.

And then she found it. The paper was tightly folded and shoved into the side of the rabbit but still seemed to be in good shape. She pulled it out with shaky fingers and unfolded it, realizing she was staring down at a map. There were several different paths and landmarks notated on it. Stops matched some of the items in the chest - the "Eat Me" wrapper, the vial with liquid. There was a spot in the center of it that had a crown with hearts around it with a large X drawn on the top of the crown.

"What is this?" she asked, confusion setting in as she stared at the scratches on the page.

"Wonderland."

"Why would that be important to the queen?"

Killian stared intently at the map. "I'm not sure, to be honest. Perhaps the queen hid something there or has an ally there. Maybe another ruler of some sort."

And that's when Emma remembered. "The Queen of Hearts!"

"The what?"

Emma smiled at her pirate companion. "The Queen of Hearts. The rumor is that she's the mother of the Evil Queen and was banished to Wonderland for some reason. I remember my father talking about her once and saying, 'How does such a heartless woman get to be called the Queen of Hearts?'"

"So she's less an ally and more a potential enemy of your Evil Queen who can help you get your revenge."

Emma sat in silence staring at the map in front of her. It could be a way to get her kingdom back, but it wouldn't be easy.

"Where do we even start once we get to Wonderland?" Killian muttered to himself.

Emma stared down at the map in front of them. There had to be something there, some sort of note or clue or anything that could give them a place to begin. Then she saw something they both had missed. At the bottom left-hand corner of the page, right at the start of one of the many dotted lines tracing paths across the page, were two rabbit ears.

"There," she said, her finger landing on the unmistakable ears.

"You're brilliant, Emma!" he said triumphantly.

He leaned over and planted a determined and deliberate kiss on her lips. She was too shocked to respond, and then she couldn't help herself as her lips softened against his. As a princess, she would never kiss a pirate. But she wasn't really a princess any longer and she was thankful to have shed the title for a kiss like this.

And yet, Killian wasn't really a pirate, quickly pulling away when he realized what he had done. He rubbed his hands on the front of his waistcoat as if to straighten it out before looking up at her again, his cheeks flushed red. "Sorry, lass," he said quietly.

Emma gave him an awkward smile, hoping her face wasn't as flushed as his but knowing that it probably had a similar glow. She took a deep breath to try and compose herself again, allowing her fellow pirate to get his bearings as well. "It's fine," she finally said.

Killian tried to quickly put the moment behind them by hastily picking up the items she had laid out on the table earlier and putting them back in the treasure chest - all except the headless rabbit. Instead, he handed it to Emma.

"A token of good faith as we start our next journey," he explained with a smile.

Emma took it and smiled before putting it in the pocket of her blue coat while Killian closed the top to the box. Then he turned to her, giving her a cocky smile. "So lass," he said with a gleam in his eye. "Are you ready for an adventure?"


End file.
